Lies of a Truth
by TheQueenV
Summary: Gia struggles to balance a very delicate situation with one of her best friend's girlfriend, wanting to make peace. Not to mention the heartache her soon-to-be ex-husband is putting her through. And while all of that is going on, she's assigned to create an on-going storyline with three up-coming WWE Superstars.
1. Chapter 1

_**A/N:** I own no one but my own original characters and the idea of this story that would not leave my mind. So here it is. Enjoy, and thank you for reading._

His eyes traveled down the length of her leg, ending at the white platform pumps that encased her very well-taken care of feet. In her fingers, a pen was tapping against an obviously well used notebook. Her laughter traveled through the air, and then a very well manicured fingertip found its way to her mouth as she chewed it with what he believed was a nervous habit of hers. Even still, saying she was well put together was an understatement.

And she was completely unavailable.

"Gia!"

Turning his head ever so slightly, he saw the woman calling out for her. Their boss, Stephanie McMahon-Levesque.

"Steph," the golden-bronze-haired woman said with a brilliant smile as she looked up. Motioning to the folder that Stephanie laid down on the table in front of her, those dark bronze brows of hers raising up in question. "What is this?"

Randy couldn't even begin to hide the fact that he was staring at her, nor could he ever deny his attraction to her. He was essentially in love with his best friend, and it pained him in such a dull way. For nearly a decade and a half, it had been an unwritten rule between the two; No sexual contact amongst them. And for years, the dull ache he felt within his chest seemed like a butter knife that someone kept twisting slowly in his chest.

Yet, still, he would gladly take her as a non-sexual friend than to not have her in his life at all. The support and comfort she gave him was unlike anything else he had ever known in his life. It was something that, even in the smallest amount, he never came close to receiving from his ex-wife, Samantha. It was something that made both him and Samantha come to the realization that they were no longer in love with each other. No longer bound by the thought that they had to continue to keep up a charade of being the perfect couple.

"Hey, man," Randy heard the voice of his male best friend. "Stare any harder at her, and we're going to have to pick your eyeballs up from the floor."

Randy looked up at the man, a smirk on his face as he scoffed. "You're just jealous that we're going out tonight."

John Cena had a grin of his own as he crossed his muscular arms over his chest. "Now see, that's where you're wrong," he stated, earning a look of interest from Randy. "Because it will be Nicole and I to join you, Mr. Orton, and Gia tonight."

The smirk dropped from Randy's face. "What?"

John simply grinned more. "She asked me earlier if the two of us would like to join you guys for dinner," he told his friend. "I kindly accepted."

Looking back over to Gia, Randy was greeted with a smile and a wink.

"""""

"What were you thinking?" Randy asked her as they waited for the elevator to take them down to the lobby of the hotel.

"Stop making it out like I offered to drag your dick in the dirt, stringing you to the back of a horse drawn carriage." She all but ignored his hasty sigh, adjusting the front of her dress. "Can you just do this for me? Please? I'd like that girl to know that she really has no legit reason to dislike me."

"I'd say 'hate' was the more suitable word," Randy threw in before glancing her way. "And believe me, she's got every right to not like you."

"She does not," Gia quickly said, knowing that Randy wouldn't miss a beat.

"John wanted to be with you," he claimed, but Gia knew this just as well as he did. "Do you really blame her?"

"No," Gia said thoughtfully as the elevator chimed. With her lips pursed out, her bosom showcased proudly within the confines of the little black dress she wore, she wistfully looked towards Randy. "But I blame you for all that drama."

Before Randy could get another breath out, Gia was already stepping off the elevator, gold clutch held tightly in her hand.

"Me?" Randy huffed out as he followed behind her. "I had nothing to do with that."

"Mhm," she grunted out airily as she came to a stop at the side of the car. "Sure you didn't."

"I didn't, Gia," he declared as he opened the car door for her. "Don't you think if I had anything to do with that, I would have told you from the start?"

Gia smoothed the hem of her dress as she swung her legs into the car, another telling look shooting Randy's way. "No."

"""""

To say that Gia felt awkward sitting across from Nicole was the understatement of the night. As she cleared her throat once more, taking a sip of champagne from her glass, she looked away from the woman. But not before seeing the obvious amusement on John's face. Was this really entertaining to Cena? To see one of his best friends squirm at the prospect of having to dine with his girlfriend. Then again, John's other best friend sat across from him engaged in conversation that he barely realized was one-sided.

"And I told her, if you don't believe me, look outside in front of that gym that sits on the corner all by itself," Randy's deep voice continued on. "You'll see my tour bus. Proof that it's really me."

Gia gave into a nervous habit and bit her bottom lip, hoping that the harder she squeezed it between her teeth, the faster this disaster of a dinner would go. Hearing Randy beside her talking about something she didn't care about, and knowing that the three of them sat in silence was suffocating her. If she bit any harder, she would scream. If she let go, she would scream. Biting down until she couldn't take it anymore, she reluctantly released her lip, feeling it throb as she took another quick sip. She almost slammed the champagne flute down as she began standing.

"Excuse me," she got out before walking over the area where the bathrooms were.

"What the hell is wrong with her?" Randy asked, watching her curvy figure walk away.

John shook his head, an innocent smile on his face. "If you can't tell that she's uncomfortable being here, I don't know how you can say she's your best friend."

"Well, what the fuck? She wanted you two to come." Randy exhaled a breath as calm as he could. "It's not like I asked for this to be a double date."

"I wonder what her husband thinks," Nicole blatantly said, eyes still narrowed at the path Gia took.

"Nicole, that's not necessary," John put in but was immediately interrupted.

"Yes it is, John," she whined. "She's married, got Randy at her feet, and wanted you on top of all that. How can you sit here and defend her?"

John took a sip of his drink, clearing his throat before he spoke. "First off," he said in a demeanor too serene for Nicole's liking. "She's going through a divorce. Every last one of us sitting at this table knows exactly what that's like." He looked up to Randy, who simply nodded his head. "Second, if Randy wants to be at her feet like a dog – "

"Hey," Randy interjected.

" – then that's on Randy. And lastly, but certainly not least, there is no relationship between Gia and myself. Never has been, never will be."

It was on the tip of Randy's tongue to say what was on his mind, the truth. To say that it was John, not Gia, who did the asking out on a date. To tell Nicole that she needed to be careful who she started a battle with. To let her know that most of the time, what was said backstage was speculation with a tiny bit of truth twisted in. Although, he highly doubted Gia would even take it as far as she really could, the possibility was always there.

"""""

She stood in front of the mirror, one hand resting on the counter, the other pressed against her abdomen. Gia knew that her good intentions had backfired on her. The younger thirty-something year old had her defenses up, and she was ready for a fight. Looking for one, almost. But she was _not_ looking to fight or argue with the twin. Wanting to enjoy a night out to a nice dinner was too much, Gia supposed. She heard the bathroom door open as she pulled some paper towel from its dispenser and dampened it.

"I'll tell you one more time," the venomous voice started, gaining Gia's full attention. "Stay away from John."

"Excuse me?" Gia questioned, looking at the Bella twin standing off to the side behind her through the mirror. "I've not said two words to John at any point tonight."

"I see the way you look at him backstage," Nicole went on, dismissing the fact that Gia was right. "And I know how you talk to him. You push your breasts up and giggle when you speak to him. Well, I'm here to tell you right now." She pressed her own puffed out chest against Gia, causing the older of the two women to stumble back some. "Stay away from my man."

Gia could see the hurt look in Nicole's eyes. The tell-tale signs of despair that worried her face. She looked away from the fury that was also plastered on Nicole's face, taking a deep breath as she nodded. No argument, no standing up for herself. Just agreeing to the terms delivered to her by her friend's very angry girlfriend.

"""""

"See what happens when you invite John to places?"

She felt Randy's warm body stand beside her, his muscled arms crossed over his equally muscled chest. He leaned with his backside against the table, looking down at her as she glared at him. He knew she was tired, although she would never give way to that fact in her appearance. She looked just as fantastic as she had last night in that tight black dress as she did now in dark blue jeans and a crisp red button-down blouse. Her hair was pinned up high on her head in a messy yet stylishly sophisticated bun, and getting a glance at her feet, she wore her usual neatly kept black boots.

Gia went to ignore him as she sorted through the paperwork strewn out before her. Randy watched as her manicured hands did her work reorganizing certain papers to go into certain folders.

"Oh, come on," he encouraged. "Don't be like that. Wouldn't you say that after we left, we had a good time on our own?"

Exhaling deeply, she paused for a moment, thinking back to the previous night. Sure, Randy had taken it upon himself to follow her out of the restaurant that the four of them were to have dinner in. And sure, he waited patiently for her to tell him what happened after Nicole went into the bathroom after her. And even more, sure, he had driven them to a burger joint, grabbing them every bit of comfort food he could get and then drove them to an abandoned building somewhere overlooking a fantastic view of a beautiful river.

But that still didn't ease the hurt eating away at her. She had never dealt with a friend's significant other quite like Nicole. And it hurt her to know that the younger woman had nothing but disgust when it came to her friendship with John. That would never be known to Nicole at least, and as far as Gia knew, it wouldn't be known to John either.

Looking at Randy again, she grabbed up the folders, bracing them against her body. "I have work to do."

Just then, before Randy could say anything, an assistant came up to them. The short man raised the microphone that was attached to the headset he wore.

"Ms. Chavelle, Mrs. Levesque is waiting for you," he said quickly before pushing the microphone back down and speaking to the person talking in his ear. "Yes, sir."

Gia gave Randy one of the weakest smiles he had ever seen in life. Watching her walk down the corridor, disappearing into room with a door that had a nameplate on it was the most depressing thing he had seen in a long time.

"""""

"Gia," Stephanie's voice welcomed. "How are you feeling today?"

She sighed out as she placed the folders down on the table. Her plump lips carried out another exasperated sigh as she gave Stephanie a blank look.

"So I heard," Stephanie acknowledged. "You would think that she would learn to at least keep quiet on such matters."

"Let me guess," Gia began as she spread out the folders, picking out one with a specific name and pulling it close to her. "She told everyone that would listen that I came onto John again."

Stephanie nod her head. "That would cover the bases."

"If it were true, I wouldn't say shit about it. I don't want to correct her though. I'm so tired of it all."

"Well, if she knew anything about you or your situation with your husband, she would realize that you'd never do that to someone's relationship," Stephanie said, plucking the folder from Gia's grasp. "You don't need this anymore." Momentarily ignoring the look of confusion on Gia's face, she continued on with the topic of the Bella twin. "Especially to someone you are close to and have so much respect for."

Gia exhaled lightly, nodding her head. "I'd hate to let go of my friendship with John, but if it means that it saves his relationship with Nicole, I'd gladly do it. She means more to him. Why don't I need that one anymore? Rotunda came to me with some ideas about a character."

"I know," Stephanie said, tilting her head. "He's told dad about his idea, too. We're going to let him run with it, but however for now, we need you on this." She pushed a rather thin folder Gia's way.

"These are the guys from FCW," Gia stated as she looked over the three simple papers within the folder. One for each of the guys, it outlined their career outlook, and had their past doings summarized in one paragraph. "Group them together?"

"That's what we're thinking." Stephanie sat back in the black leather chair. "So, what do you think? Want to take them on?"

"Sure," she agreed, looking over the papers one more time, noting the name for the group on the inside of the folder at the top left-hand corner. "The Shield."


	2. Chapter 2

_**A/N:** Thank you to StoryLover82 and Ctinaisfashion for their reviews. I highly appreciate it. In these next two chapters, you'll kind of get an insight on Gia's relationship with her husband, and no, Story, he's not someone in the WWE or a wrestler. His character is actually based on a dear friend of mine that I love very much, and I thought it would be entertaining to sort of twist his personality to meet the needs of this story. Also, the husband has a tiny bit of my own husband in his character as well. Not the bad parts though. At least that's what I tell him! Anyway, thank you for taking the time to read this, and I hope you enjoy._

Her eyes trailed from the one with the long, black hair to the one with short and very messy dirty blond hair. The two were engaged in a singles match, and she had to admit; She was impressed. Being a fan of wrestling since she was a little girl, Gia knew great wrestlers, and appreciated a good match when she saw one. By every sense of the word, she was getting a treat right now as she sat back in the metal chair, one jean-clad leg and black leather booted foot crossed over the other.

Amongst the rest of the fans, she was certain no one would pick her out of the crowd. No one would notice her. She could, for once, sit back and enjoy a show, not having to worry about being bothered by one of the office executives. She more than willingly volunteered herself to fly down to Florida to get a feel on the three personalities. And it didn't hurt that she'd be able to see one of her good friends.

She continued to watch the rest of the match, carefully noting every little thing she saw. Weird perks and ticks of each of the two men currently laying breathless in the middle of the ring. Everything that she could retain in her mind for later use in building their characters. When the match finally came to a finish, the messy dirty blond picking up a win, she stood, sliding her phone into the pocket of her jeans.

Making her way towards the backstage area, she waited just behind the curtain for the two men. "Hey," she called out as the dirty blond stepped through, holding the back of his head. "Head to the office after you see the trainer."

"What?" he asked, the breathless raspy voice taking her by surprise.

"Regal's," Gia simply said. "Go there after you're done."

He didn't say anything, grunting his acknowledgment at the request, leaving Gia standing there as he walked away. It was only a few minutes more before she saw the tall black-haired one. His chiseled features stood out to her the most, the neatly lined, closely trimmed goatee bringing a smile to her face. The fact that he paid attention to her as he walked towards her didn't hurt any either.

"I know you're not a fan," he said to her, tilting his head in curiosity. "Office?"

"Writer," she told him, taking his extended hand into hers. "I've been sent here to gather up you and a couple of others."

"They've made a plan for us?" he questioned as he walked beside her.

Tilting her head, she gave him a small laugh. "Something like that. Reigns, right?"

He nodded, slowing his pace as he held out a hand. "Lead the way."

"""""

"Well, if it isn't my dearest friend," Regal heartily stated as she walked through the door with the Samoan. "Miss Gia." Bringing her into a warming hug, he patted her back in such a loving gesture that she couldn't help but smile. "How are you, my dear?"

"I'm doing good now that I've seen the best friend I could ever ask for." She moved to the side, showing Regal why she was here to talk to him. "We're going to need some training and fast."

"Two," Regal said, absentmindedly placing his fingertips on his chin. "Third one should be on his way right now."

"Late to the party?" came a voice from the doorway of Regal's office.

"Mr. Seth Rollins." Regal motioned to him. "How nice of you to join us."

Gia held in the laugh that simmered in her chest at the older man's humor. However, her attention was soon brought to the six-foot-something man already sitting in a chair in front of Regal's desk.

"Are we here for something important?" the dirty blond questioned, a white towel still draped over his shoulders. One boot of his tapped the floor as he looked between his mentor and the woman he didn't know.

"Ah, Mr. Ambrose," Regal lazily started as he motioned for Gia to take a seat, and then made his way to his own chair. "Always patiently impatient. I'll have you know that Miss Gia is here on very important business, and it involves all three of you." He looked towards Gia who nodded and gave him a folded pieced of paper. "A faction of some sort I see. Miss Gia, care to elaborate?"

"Certainly, honey," Gia said, turning in the chair slightly to face the three young men. "The three of you will be in a group. The idea is something like a combative, military type deal, and your goal?" She paused, raising her pointer finger as she looked over the faces of each one of them. "To deliver justice. To right the wrongs in the WWE. To stand together as a band of righteous brothers."

"And the time?" Regal then asked her, glancing up from the paper she gave him.

"Survivor Series."

"Oh dear," Regal quickly said to her answer.

"Of this year?" Ambrose then asked, a finger pointing down to the floor as he leaned forward in his seat.

"Gentlemen," Gia calmly said with a small smile. "You have less than a week to prepare."

"""""

"Gia, you have to talk to him."

"I don't have to _do_ anything, Randy."

He watched Gia continue to scroll through her phone, no doubt being bombarded by messages and emails from nearly everyone across the board. The company's next pay-per-view, Survivor Series, was in two days, and while Randy loved attention, he did not envy her position right now. He had to all but beg her to come out to his place for a day of relaxation. He looked away only to turn his head right back to her. Or at least, he thought the possibility of relaxing was there.

"If you're not talking to John, put the phone down."

She sighed, growing tired of his nagging. "Don't you have Alanna this weekend?"

Narrowing his eyes at her attempt of a topic change, he plucked the white phone from her hand and placed it down on his coffee table.

"You know I never have her on pay-per-view weekends. Unless I'm not in it, Sam would never schedule for me to have her."

It was her turn to look away, trying to ignore the burning glare he gave her. But she couldn't disregard the uncomfortable feeling building in her chest.

"What do you want me to do? I mean, I'm not going to invite myself into their relationship when she's made it clear to me that she thinks I'm a threat." She shook her head, uncrossing her legs to stand. "I'm not doing it, Randy," she told him as she made her way into the kitchen. "I'm sorry, but I'm not. It's not worth it."

"It is," he stubbornly said, following her.

"I can't – "

"How can you just think it's okay to throw away, what? A decade of friendship because that nipped and tucked bimbo can't see how stupid she's being."

"Don't," Gia said, wearily rubbing her forehead as she perched herself on a kitchen stool. "Don't call her that."

"And you defend her? You are unbelievable, Gia." He sat next to her, resting his elbows on the island counter top. "I don't even know if that's a good thing or a bad thing."

"What, is it bad that I don't want to ruin a relationship? That I don't want to know that my friend feels like he has to choose a side? Because there are no sides. Not in this."

"You mean, you didn't have a side? Right? With Tony?"

"Oh, please," she scoffed out, slapping a hand on the counter. "Don't even bring him up. He has nothing to do with this. In fact, he'd be pissed that someone was even accusing me of doing anything like that."

"Yeah, and for the wrong reason."

"Stop it, Randy. You guys don't know him like I do. You guys have no idea what type of man Anthony is."

"I know him well enough," Randy said, raising his voice slightly, "to know that what he did to you nearly tore you apart inside. It would have if you weren't such a strong person. I know this, and John knows this. She needs to know, too."

Gia sucked in a breath, biting on her top lip. Her hand smoothed over Randy's arm, patting it gently as her brown eyes met his baby blues.

"It's not her relationship," she softly said. "Just like hers isn't mine." She stood as she gave him a light kiss on the cheek. "I should be going."

"Gia," Randy pleaded, but she was already grabbing her jacket and leather bag. He listened as her footsteps carried her closer to the front door.

"Tell Alanna that Aubrey can't wait to see her again," she said loudly over her shoulder.

He knew there was no stopping her now. _Just let her go._ Randy heard the jingle of the keys in her hand as she briefly waved to him before disappearing out the door.

"""""

It had to have been about the hundredth knock she heard on the door to the makeshift office in the Bankers Life Fieldhouse arena. A handful of people seemed to constantly be entering and leaving, speaking to any of the three Creative team writers on hand for that night. While the others were fretting about the two staple elimination matches in the Survivor Series pay-per-view, Gia was as calm as a gentle summer breeze down by the boardwalk. That is, until the knock came, and in poked an assistant's head. Paul's personal assistant.

"Ms. Chavelle?" the man nervously asked as she looked up at him.

"Yes?"

"There's a... Your husband is here," he finally said after clearing his throat.

"What?" she said as she moved folders off to the side and stood. "Anthony's here? He's not supposed to be here."

"He's brought your daughter as well," the assistant informed her as she walked past him.

"That son-of-a–"

Her words were halted as she rounded the corner, seeing the man that called himself a husband to her talking with her boss, Paul Levesque.

"So glad we could make it," Anthony was saying as she approached them. "I'm more than excited to see the show." He had a grin plastered on his face, putting on a great performance as he acted surprised to see his wife. "Gia, baby! I missed you."

"What are you doing here?" she hissed out.

"Whoa, what kind of way is that to talk to a tired man that just went through a grueling two hour travel?"

She wanted to slap the smile off his face, and wanted to gut check her boss as he laughed and commented on the flight.

"Hell of a way to come in, right?" Paul said.

"Where's Aubrey?" Gia asked, cutting off the response her husband had for Paul.

"Calm down," Anthony replied. "She's with Stephanie and the girls." The smile never left his face, even as Gia crossed her arms over her chest, waiting with an obvious attitude. He held out his hand for Paul to shake. "Good seeing you again, and thanks for the tickets."

"Not a problem, man," Paul said, shaking Anthony's hand and turning to leave, waving as he left.

Gia watched her boss leave, her jaw setting and her lips pulling tightly. "Why are you here? You don't even like wrestling."

"Can't a man enjoy a good show with his family?"

"Not when you don't even tell me you're coming. I asked weeks ago if you wanted to come out, and you told me no. So, I'll ask you again. What are you doing here, Tone?"

"Gia, relax." He took her hand into his, pulling her close to him. "I just wanted to come see my wife's creative handiwork. Is that so bad?"

Her eyes widened with realization, her lips now puckered into a smirk. "I can't believe that you have all these people... my boss even... thinking that you're wanting to be here because you're such a loving and supportive husband."

"Is that not what I am?"

She felt his strong hand move across her back in a possessive statement. Anyone looking at them would have seen a devoted and caring husband cherishing his wife for a few quick moments before she went back to work. However, the light bulb had already clicked on in Gia's mind.

"No," she said with an amusing smile. "You just want to see the guys I'm writing for. And I can't believe you flew out nearly seven hundred miles to know." Her smile didn't fade as she took his hand into hers, pulling her body away from him. "You know, if you were a doting husband, I'd be touched."

Satisfied with her words, she was even more so with the sound of her heels clicking on the venue flooring as she walked away from the tall, dark featured man. Anthony Savignano was many things. A dedicated husband to his wife was not one of them.


	3. Chapter 3

"That debut was awesome guys," Gia cheered as she held up her bubbling glass. "A toast to three of the finest prospects that this industry has. I'm looking forward to working with you guys."

Their four glasses clinked together, each taking a sip before setting their champagne flutes down. The bubbles had barely tickled under Gia's nose before she sighed out and grabbed her laptop bag.

"Leaving so soon?" the Samoan asked as he rubbed his hands together.

"I have some... business to attend to," she replied. Standing, she nervously twisted her fingers together. "Enjoy your night, guys. You deserve it."

As she left the three men to bask in the aftermath of their debut at one of the four biggest pay-per-views of the year, she spotted the table where two of her best friends and Paul were sitting at. Adjusting the strap of the laptop bag on her shoulder, she approached the table.

"Hey, Gia," Paul was the first to say.

"Hey, guys," she smiled out, ignoring the way that Randy's head cocked to the side at her expression.

"You leaving?" John then asked.

"Yeah, Tony and Aubrey are at the hotel waiting for me already."

"I saw them right before I went on," John said. "Good to see them around. I didn't know they'd be coming."

Gia tilted her head, lips pressed together. _I didn't know either,_ she thought. "Yeah, they flew in earlier."

Randy lowered his stare from her. How she could even begin to pretend that she knew they were coming was beyond him. Then again, her entire relationship with her husband was something lost on him. At least when he treated women with disregard, he had the sense not to marry them. Yet, Gia had been married to this man for nearly twenty years, and how many of those years she had been mistreated, Randy didn't know. All he knew was that he could treat Gia a million times better than Anthony.

His head snapped back up to her standing at their table, silently watching as she spoke with Paul and John. Perhaps it wasn't for him to understand why she stayed with Anthony. He could only hope that she go _something_ from the man other than the burden to call him a husband.

"Well, I'll be going now," Randy heard Gia say through all the thoughts about her swirling in his mind.

"I hope Aubrey and Tony enjoyed the show," John said, making Randy want to reach over and knock him out.

Randy just barely bit back the urge to tell them that Anthony hated wrestling. He understood Paul not knowing much about her husband, but John should have known better than to just smile at the mention of him and nod his head in belief. What kind of friend was John... _Right_, Randy scoffed inwardly to himself. _The kind that can't tell his own girlfriend to back off of Gia._ Not that Gia would have wanted that. But it was the principle of it. Samantha never once had anything negative to say about Gia.

His silence continued well after she walked away from their table, his straw taking the brunt of his frustration as he chewed on it, the alcoholic beverage it was sitting in completely forgotten about.

"And you're quiet now because?" John asked, a dimpled smile cast towards his friend.

Randy lowered the glass, placing it down on the clothed tabletop harder than he cared. "You know that asshole didn't come here to cheer her on," he spat out, earning a surprised look from his hazel-eyed friend.

John ducked his head down, agreeing with Randy. "While it's true that he has never really shown much of any support, we can't hold that against him. We have no idea if he really wasn't here for her, and we can't prove that he wasn't."

Randy sneered at John's words. "Are you really that oblivious?"

"It's not about me being oblivious," John retorted. "It's about the fact that we can't assume that he's going to be terrible to her every time he comes around. You know that just as well as I do."

"Yeah, but I'm not going to ignore the fact that she's suffocating under him." Randy brought the drink to his lips, taking a sip. "Maybe that's more than I could say about you and your girlfriend," he commented, setting his drink back down.

The pleasant charm on John's face never faltered as he took in Randy's insinuation. "I have spoken to Nicole about Gia."

"Yet she still treats Gia like she's beneath her." Randy sat back in his chair, eyes narrowed. "She doesn't even know, does she? That you were the one who asked Gia on a date?"

That really got Paul's brows rising.

"No," John said. "She doesn't know that fact."

"Maybe you should tell her," Randy drawled out. "Because if I'm not mistaken, Nicole believes that you're completely innocent in this."

"We are both innocent," John said before taking a sip of his own drink. "I asked, she politely declined, and we both went on with our day. And may I remind you that it hasn't dented our friendship at all. I still respect her and love her as much as any friend could."

"But you're letting Nicole be the dent now?" Randy asked, his eyebrows now shooting up.

"You're missing the point, Randy," John defended.

"That is the point," Randy shot back.

"If it bothers you so much, I'll talk to Nicole again. That's the most I can do. But I can't make her understand. That's something she has to do on her own."

The two settled into a forced silence, John knowing that Randy was holding back anything else he wanted to say. Relaxing for a couple of hours after a pay-per-view with a few drinks was now lost between the two friends. The third man sitting at the small, round table with them also lost as to exactly what they were talking about. Though Gia and Paul were relatively close, their closeness stopped a certain point. Talking to Paul about her relationship with her husband wasn't something Gia did, and she obviously had her reasons considering what the two blue-eyed bickering men were stabbing at.

Paul leaned over the table slightly, the curiosity in him creasing his face. He took in a deep breath, holding it for a moment before asking, "Am I missing something here?"

"""""

Her seven year old daughter, Aubrey, was asleep by the time Gia made it back to the hotel. After surrendering the room that she had previously been in the night before, and receiving the room key that her husband had left at the front desk for her, she was glad that she'd be able to finally take off her heels. Just hearing the toe-pinchers clunk to the floor sent a wave of relief through her. She sat back into the plush couch in the spacious living room area of the suite, relaxing her shoulders into the cushions.

"Feels nice, doesn't it? Aubrey fell asleep in that very spot you're sitting in."

Gia looked towards the direction in which the voice was coming from. His six-foot-two frame stood in the archway that separated the living area and the decently sized kitchenette. In his hand, she saw a crystal glass of an amber liquid.

"Isn't it too late to be drinking?" she questioned as she sat up straight again.

Anthony took a sip purposefully from the glass, smiling at his wife. "Wasn't it too late for you to go out celebrating with the men you work with while your daughter and husband were up waiting for you?" He took another sip as he slowly walked to the lounge chair next to the couch. Leisurely, he sat down, pulling the handle on the side of the chair to raise the leg rest.

She pulled her legs up, warming up to the possibility of having to sit on the couch for a few hours. She'd never know why, but the jealous rage that Anthony possessed when it came to her skyrocketed the most when it came to her job.

"What is it, Tony?" she asked, placing her chin in the palm of her hand as she rested her elbow on her thigh. "A couple of drinks with some of the people I work with isn't a crime." She sighed out, removing her hand from her face to smooth out the hem of her dress. "Why is it that you have a problem with me being a writer for them, but when I was Steph's assistant, it was fine?"

Anthony studied her, the motion of her hands, the movement of her legs as she adjusted them. She wiggled her toes, and he could see the apple red nail polish through the nude stockings she wore. Looking at her for a few moments more, he took in a deep breath then patted his thigh.

"Come here," he told her, not surprised at the hesitation that flashed over her face for a brief second. He patted his thigh again, urging her to sit on his lap. "Come on, come on over here."

She looked down, her big brown eyes hidden through long lashes. But at last, she stood, joining him on the lounge chair. Just feeling his hands roam over her hip made her whole body tingle. Warmth spread through her as it settled on the top of her leg. She placed her head on his shoulder, her face buried in the nook of his neck.

"If we break this thing, you're paying for it," she mumbled out as she relaxed even further into his warm body.

"It would be worth it," he simply replied, running his hand through her hair.

Gia thought hard for a while as his arm cradled her. Her fingers filtered through the spots in between the buttons of his dress shirt, the idea of saying anything being pushed out of her mind several times. Eventually, the good sense in her lost as she parted her lips.

"Why didn't you tell me you were coming?"

His chest lifted considerably as he inhaled deeply. "You know I love you, right?"

She let out a small laugh. "As much as lots of money and a big house could buy."

"I'm serious, Gia," he said, gently moving so he could look into her eyes. "You and Aubrey are the best things that ever happened to me."

"Please, don't play the whole guilt trip on me, okay?" she pleaded, looking away from him. "I know what you were trying to do, coming down here on a whim at the very last minute. Those guys... I'm a part of their team now. All three of their careers depend on if I can deliver decent career ideas for them. Please don't ruin this for them or for me."

He didn't say anything as she removed herself from the chair. Gia could feel his eyes watching her as she made her way to the room in which the door was closed.

"I'll sleep in the bed with Aubrey tonight," she quietly said as her hand gently turned the knob. "Good night."

Once inside the room, she let out a profound breath. She didn't need this. Not right now. They were supposed to be going through the notions of a divorce... Not confessing their undying love for one another. She loved him, but not enough to abide with all the crap he shoveled her way. She had enough on her plate with her job and Aubrey; She didn't need her husband of all people adding to the juggling act.

Laying down next to her sleeping daughter, she ran a finger down Aubrey's hair. Their daughter... The only _good_ thing Anthony ever truly gave her. And she looked just like him, too. Dark hair. Deep brown eyes. Gia had said from the moment she was born that the only feature that she shared with Aubrey was her nose. Everything else was taken from Anthony.

"Good night, baby," Gia whispered as she let her head hit the pillow.


	4. Chapter 4

The red-lipped vixen watched as her boyfriend talked with Gia. Her eyes narrowed at just the idea, however she kept her temper in check. Not only did she have many of her co-workers around, but the bosses were present as well. There was no way she'd risk her career over a second of jealous rage.

_Jealous._ The word tumbled in her mind over and over. No, she wasn't jealous... was she? Sure, Gia was gorgeous. Full lips, full chest, full hips. Legs that were long and sexy. Golden-bronze hair, and tanned skin. And all of it, Nicole was certain, natural. Gia was one of those women who made the fact that she was beautiful effortless. She was sure that Gia never spent a day tanning or getting her hair dyed. It was purely natural when it came to Gia. Of course John would fall for someone so naturally, effortlessly beautiful. And that's what bothered her the most.

She saw Gia touch John's upper arm before laughing. And it seemed like he could laugh with her about anything. Hearing a sigh next to her, she could feel her twin sister's thoughts invading her mind.

"What, Brie?"

Brie shook her head. "Nothing."

"I know you're thinking it," Nicole snapped. "Just say it."

"You don't have to be such a bitch, Nicole," Brie said, the only thing calming her was the hand of one WWE Superstar Daniel Bryan being placed on her arm.

"Don't argue," he then gently said.

"Okay, I won't," Brie promised, taking a deep breath. "If Nicole stops being a bitch."

"Whatever, Brie."

"You don't even know her," Brie started, not being able to bite her tongue at her sister's attitude. "All you see is a female talking to John and you want to be mad at her."

"That is not true. John talks to a lot of of women, and it doesn't bother me," she defended.

"Then what is it with Gia? What do you have against her? It's not like you've caught them in bed."

"Brianna!" Nicole scoffed out.

"Honey, don't be mean," Bryan softly told his girlfriend.

"I'm not being mean. It's the truth."

Nicole's attention was turned toward the woman of topic, her emotions quickly going from being appalled by her sister's words to curious at the little girl standing next to Gia. The little girl was in pink plaid jumper with a hot pink shirt on underneath, her long hair was in a French braid down her back, and she had on pink and purple Converses. Nicole's head tilted as she heard the little girl's voice call out to Gia.

"I – " Nicole's thoughts stopped dead on her lips. "I didn't know she had a daughter."

"I told you, you don't know anything about her," Brie pointed out again. "Aubrey, and she's seven. Shows how much you really know about the people you're freaking jealous of."

Nicole cringed as that word crossed her mind again. _Jealous._ Maybe she was jealous of Gia. Perhaps not in the typical sense, but in the sense that she was not only gorgeous, but kind as well. Maybe that's why John liked her so much.

"""""

Sinking down into the plush leather couch, she allowed Aubrey to place her legs on the cushion.

"You work too much, mommy," Aubrey told her.

"Is that so?" Gia asked with a smile on her face.

Nodding her head, she turned her attention to pulling out her hand-held game. "Daddy said I don't have to go back to school until Wednesday."

"You're going back tomorrow, little girl."

"But I want to go with you, mommy."

She turned to Gia, her lips pouting, which earned a laugh from the blond-haired man sitting across the room.

"Sometimes I forget she's only seven," he laughed out.

Gia smiled, looking over to him. "You wait until you have one, Jay," she said with a laugh of her own. "They'll amaze you every single day."

He sighed out, leaning back into the couch opposite of Gia. "I'm just waiting for that glorious day now." Sitting up straight, he nodded his head towards her. "Speaking of waiting, you writing my stuff now?"

Gia shook her head, "No. I don't know who's on you. They gave me these three guys from the development territory."

"Ah, the new guys." His hands rested in his lap as he stared up at the ceiling. "Wonder how they're dealing with debuting at one of the bigger pay-per-views."

Gia tilted her head, pushing her bottom lip out. "Seems like they're doing fine with it." She glanced at her daughter before slowly dragging her eyes towards the oldest friend she had in the company. If anyone ever thought it would be Orton or Cena that would court her, then they clearly didn't even know Jay. If no one else ever made her heart flutter in the tiniest amount, it was the Canadian man sitting right across from her, only a cheap coffee table away. But, going against the spot of light in her heart for him, she had never tried anything. They had never tried anything. Both being married didn't help their cases any, and Gia knew above all else that Jay actually loved his spouse.

That was a token more than what she could say about Anthony. If jealousy and possession didn't overpower Anthony's mind when it came to Gia, she was almost certain she'd be invisible to him. Not that he'd even notice with all his other women. Being the other woman was something that Gia refused to do. And for more than a decade, Jay understood, trying his best to remain exactly as he thought she needed in life – a true best friend.

Honesty and openness ruled their relationship. In a strange, unknowing way, it was almost like therapy. They told each other things that they would never consider saying to anyone else. Gia shifted in her position on the couch, her mind concentrating on the high-pitched beeps of Aubrey's video game. Working herself up over what-could-be never solved anything. In fact, it always made her situation sink in even more. Shaking her thoughts clear of her worries, she sat up, fluffing the small pillow she had laid on.

"Think we should be going now?" she asked the two people in the room with her.

Aubrey nodded her head, her eyes still attached to the video game screen.

Jay stood, chuckling at the little girl as she stood beside her mother. "Think you can play that game and walk?"

Again, the little girl nodded, Gia sighing before whisking away the portable console. "I don't know where you pick up all these bad habits you seem to have," she wistfully said.

"Hey, that's my baby girl you're talking about," a voice at the open door.

"Daddy!" Aubrey cheerfully said before running into him, Anthony scooping her up.

"Tony, would you mind putting her in the car?" Gia asked, handing her daughter the purple backpack she carried. "I'll be there in a few. I need to talk to Steph before we leave."

"Yeah, sure," he said, his smile wilting as he looked between Jay and his wife. "Of course, no problem." He stepped forward, holding out his hand. "Good to see you, Jay. You and Denise should come over again. We'll have a cookout."

"We would love to," Jay said, firmly shaking Anthony's hand. "Nice seeing you, too."

Anthony glanced back over to Gia, not trusting the sarcastic grin on her face. Her lips stretched too widely, and they were pulled tightly. He knew that look. She wanted him to leave.

"I'll be just a minute," she told him after a few moments of silence. "Steph's right down the hall."

Jay waited for Anthony to leave to show any expression on his face. Hearing the man's footsteps recede down the hallway, Aubrey talking excitedly to him, let a wave of relief wash over them both.

"I swear, every time I see Tony, he's more and more intense. Does he still think something's going on between us?" Jay asked her, his brows raising. Grabbing his jacket, he slid it on, watching his best friend take a hold of her bag.

Gia blew out a harsh breath. "Think it? To him, it is happening. It's a six-foot pot calling the kettle black."

Jay let out a laugh. "For a woman who's going through some major shit, you still know how to make fun of yourself."

She tilted her head down as she slung her bag over her shoulder. "If I don't do it, everyone else will."

"Nah, not everyone," he said as he allowed her to step out of the room first. "Denise and I would love to come over though. She asked me about you and Aubrey a few nights ago."

"Gia," they heard Paul's voice, making them look back to the other end of the hall. "Hey, I just spoke to your husband, and he told me that Aubrey wasn't feeling well."

She nearly reeled on her feet, her brows showing every ounce of surprise at her boss's words. "What?"

"Yeah, she looked a little tired," Paul said as he waved his hand in the air. "But, uh, listen. I know you're going to see Steph now. She's going to give you a schedule that's been adjusted."

"What?" Gia repeated, her mind not processing what Paul was saying. "That's not what I was going to talk to Stephanie about." She looked over at Jay, silently pleading with him to explain what was going on. His eyes widened as he simply shrugged.

"No, really, it's okay. We understand. Three little girls of our own." He patted her arm before passing by them. "Enjoy your week off."

Gia's jaw dropped, her eyes closing as she leaned against the wall. Hand to her head, she stared at the gray floor. "I can't believe that motherfuc– "

"And somehow, he's got you a full week off," Jay commented. "Maybe he should quit his day job and work for Vince."

"""""

Her feet were sore. Her back was aching. Her hands felt bloated. She sighed to herself as she looked in the mirror of the powder room. This was what being pregnant felt like to her. She knew she wasn't pregnant though. It was hard enough to conceive Aubrey. The chance that she and Anthony were with child, especially when they hadn't been intimate with each other in weeks, were zero to negative fifty. Studying herself more, she realized how tired she looked. At least a week's worth of late morning sleep-ins would do her good.

She was still fuming, though, over the audacity of Anthony. After speaking with Stephanie and receiving her changed schedule as Paul mentioned, she was able to talk with Jay for all of five minutes before getting several messages on her phone from Anthony. People at the arena would have sworn there was some type of crisis by the urgency of them. But as she approached the SUV, no emergency. Nothing wrong. Aubrey was taking a nap in the back, safely buckled in. Anthony lightly tapping at the steering wheel, softly singing to a song.

His face still taunted her, remembering the smug smile pulling on his lips. The aggravation rose in her just thinking about it. The sound of their bags being placed on the marble flooring pushed the memory of the arena out of her mind, and she left the bathroom, gently shutting the door behind her.

"I'll just put Aubrey in her bed," he gently said, and bound up the staircase, the sleeping little girl nestled in his arm.

Gia placed her hands on hips, giving Anthony a smile as she watched the two go up the stairs. She busied herself with the luggage, toting them to the bottom step. Anthony came back down just as she placed the last, smaller bag on top.

"I'll get them later," Anthony said, making his way to the refrigerator. Grabbing a beer, he opened it, and sat on a stool at the kitchen island. His eyes were intently looking at Gia as she paced the kitchen floor. She stopped a moment, and Anthony could tell she wanted to knock the bottle of beer out of his hand.

"How dare you?" she began, placing a hand on her forehead. "How fucking dare you, Tony? My job? My boss? Do you know that they could pull me off this line if I were to miss crucial parts?" She walked a few more steps before stopping again. "Is that what you wanted? For them to assign me something else? What, you want me to be Steph's assistant again?"

He lightly shrugged. "You were good at doing that. She loved having you."

"Why would you do that to me?"

"Why? Come on, you should know why," he said, loosening his tie before pulling it off completely. "It's only a matter of time before one of those guys want in on you."

Gia turned to face him, lowering her hand. "Want in on me? What the fuck does that mean? I'm not a fucking bank job, Tony."

"Gia, those are young guys who don't know any better," he calmly stated. "Instead of getting mad, think of it as me protecting their budding careers from ending before they really ever begin."

"Oh my, God, please. Do you hear yourself? I mean, really hear yourself?" Her angry footsteps carried her around the island. "You're just mad because there's a chance that someone could notice me when you don't. Save me all the bullshit."

She felt Anthony's hands on her before she could reach the stairs. He pulled her back, nearly bending her in half over the island counter as he leaned in. Gia cried out as she heard the beer bottle crash to the floor, shattering brown bits of glass everywhere and sticky beer sent spilling onto the floor.

"What the fuck did you say?" He gripped her arm harder. "Huh? I don't notice you? Do you live in a fucking cardboard shack? I give you everything, Gia. You ever say that I don't notice you again, and I'll make sure the only thing you notice is how much you beg me for this life again."

He let her go after she nodded, acknowledging his words, slinging her to the broken bottle pieces.

"After you've cleaned this mess up, come to bed," he said in such a relaxed voice, Gia had to wonder if she had just imagined him threatening her. "You must be tired after that flight, honey."

She stood there for a few long moments after she heard him go upstairs, one heavy foot landing on thickly padded carpet at a time. His anger wasn't what surprised her. His hands-on approach didn't baffle her either. What really bit at her nerve was the fact that he actually threatened to remove her from her life. The cushy, comfortable lifestyle that his line of work provided her. But it wasn't just the house or the cars or the bills being paid on time without a doubt.

Gia looked down at the beer still spreading out, trying to clear her mind enough to get the items she needed to mop it up. What gnawed at every bit of sense in her was the fact that Anthony would go to any length in order to prove his point. He would reach and push, and pull and shove, just to prove to her that without him, she had nothing. It didn't matter to Anthony what company she worked for. It didn't matter to him that she had a nice, cushy bank account of her own, or that she had a stable job that would ensure her financial future was safe.

None of that mattered to him. He wouldn't even have to go to Vince to cut her ties everywhere else. He could break her down right in their home area. That's all he needed to make his meaning crystal clear to his wife.

"Shit," she softly said in quietness of the house as a piece of glass sliced into her hand. Red smeared over the brown as she bleed freely, yet she felt no pain. Her mind was still tumbling over Anthony's words, her brain attempting to file through everything that he could do. It was impossible to know, though. She was never told a thing. All she knew were exit strategies, and who to contact if anything were to happen.

Quickly disposing the broken bottle, and wiping away residues of beer, she then washed out the cut on her palm and bandaged it securely. This week would be hell if Anthony started anything. She really thought that their divorce could end amicably. But she refused to walk on eggshells. If Anthony wanted to battle, she would be ready for war.


End file.
